Trouble In Paradise
by PrudencePiperHalliwell
Summary: following Secret Affairs The sixth month mark of Jordan and Ruby's relationship is approaching. As usual, nothing goes as planned.


**A/N: Thank you all who have been reading and reviewing =] it means a lot! So I've decided to make a bunch of little one shots following one another. For example, this is a sequel to my one shot Secret Affairs which is a sequel to my one shot Forbidden Desires. I might pop out a four chapters story later on, but not right now. If you have any story ideas that you would like me to do one shot wise with Jorby let me know and I'll be glad to make it happen, though it has to be realistic. Keep reading and reviewing and I'll keep writing! I love this couple and I'll be popping out a few more one shots as the days and weeks go by.**

Jordan Gallagher sat in his bedroom, staring blankly at the wall. His bedroom door was locked which was a very rare occurrence, especially since he had began dating Ruby. It had been six months since his parents had informed them that Ruby Gallagher wasn't technically a Gallagher. Ever since that fateful day, everything had changed. Of course, when Ruby first entered their lives, everything had changed as well but this change was a better one even. Now that Ruby wasn't his cousin, the two of them could explore their previously forbidden feelings for one another without feeling guilty or appalling about it.

It had been six amazing months for the teenage boy - now seventeen years old. A lot could change in six months and Jordan believed he had. When he first told Ruby how he felt about her, he had been a brooding sixteen year old boy who was still waiting for his first kiss. After they shared one another's first kiss, Ruby and Jordan had decided to give their relationship a go.

Of course, their parents had to ruin the perfect moment by laying down some rules which had led to Jordan trying to sneak around them. One of the rules was that Ruby wasn't allowed alone in Jordan's room and vice versa. At the time of the creation of the rules, both teens had been eager to please Jordan's parents since they didn't want to have to deal with the disapproval of their parents. That would be extremely awkward - not being able to date the person you liked, meanwhile they were living under the same roof as you.

And so, Jordan had invented the 'never lock your door' policy for him and Ruby. His parents were too oblivious to realize that both teens stopped locking the door, unless they were in the bathroom. That way they could 'accidentally' walk in and out of the other person's bedroom without getting caught. For example, if Jordan needed to borrow a pen, he could waltz right into Ruby's room, kiss the life out of her and then if he remembered clearly, ask her for that pen he had needed. It was a fool proof plan and the two of them had been sharing secret little private moments all over the house.

In the beginning of their relationship, they had decided it would be best to try to keep it a secret from their peers. All the Gallaghers claimed that Jordan would be the one to break the secret, but he kept his mouth shut for two months. Then one fateful incident occurred where Jordan's best friend Stan tried to ask Ruby out and in the process tried to set Jordan up with some blonde bombshell Chanel. Jordan had managed to bite his tongue and ignore his best friend and low and behold, Ruby had been the one to break the secret. Jordan had been the most shocked as he had merely blinked in shock as she explained to the entire hallway rather loudly that they were dating.

Luckily, that day had been a Friday and the dance had been that Monday. He sometimes wondered why people would have a dance on a Monday night and actually expect people to go to school the next day. Jordan could remember the day like it was yesterday. The weekend had allowed for the news to sink in around their peers that they weren't cousins, but an 'item', so it wasn't a great shock to people that Ruby entered the room on the arm of Jordan.

Before finding out that they were related, Jordan would have been escorting her into the dance as well. Though, this time, he was able to spend the entire evening with her meanwhile if they had been cousins, he would have never been able to occupy her entire time. The entire night, he had this big goofy grin on his face. Ruby looked absolutely gorgeous in a strapless ruby red dress that fell down to her knees and hugged her like a second skin, accentuating her lovely curves.

As she descended the stairs earlier that evening, Jordan's jaw had literally dropped to the floor and he stood there gaping, like a fish out of water. Of course, he had known his girlfriend was drop dead gorgeous. But in a dress like that - he was very well aware of the fact that his pants were becoming a little too tight for him. He had shifted uncomfortably and tried to look anywhere but at Ruby. How embarrassing would it be to have to deal with his parents seeing him getting so….turned on by his girlfriend and their former niece.

The two had danced the entire night away and no one dared to cut in. Jordan would have bit anyone's head off who tried to ruin the perfect date since that had been their first public outing together. Later that night, Jordan went home and wrote a song. Unlike all his other songs, this wasn't a song about unrequited cousin love or not being able to find his way home. This wasn't a brooding song in fact which was why he didn't dare post it on the web - people expected him to be broody and to come up with depressing things. Though, Jordan had written his first romantic love song and it was all for Ruby.

Though, he refused to show her or to even mention it to her that he had wrote it because it was too embarrassing. Jordan Gallagher writing a mushy love song - he could see Ruby laughing at him now. Of course, deep down, he knew she would never laugh at him and would probably love to have him write her a song, but he preferred to keep that secret to himself.

After the dance, the months had simply flown by as Ruby and Jordan became just another couple at school after awhile. No one gaped at the two former cousins as they held hands in the halls and no one raised an eyebrow when they made out 'secretly' against the lockers in the corner. Jordan knew that people were able to see them and he also knew that Ruby had no clue. She thought they were well hidden and he would merely smirk against her as she kissed him hungrily, claiming she had missed him all morning. He loved being able to show to the world that yes, he - Jordan Gallagher - had a freaking girlfriend and that girlfriend was Ruby.

Of course, it wasn't all peaches and cream in paradise for the two. They had to deal with the fact that Ruby was still supposed to baby sit Ben and couldn't spend every Friday night out and about with Jordan. Jordan still had a knack for getting himself into trouble since he was caught trying to sneak out at two in the morning, claiming he suddenly had an urge for a greasy burger down at the twenty four gas station. Ruby didn't like that whenever Jordan got into trouble, it was almost like she was in trouble because he wasn't supposed to leave his room and everyone knew that Ruby wasn't supposed to be in there in the first place.

They would often get into arguments about how Jordan was immature and always getting himself into trouble. She also didn't like that whenever they were in front of his best friend Stan, Jordan would wrap his arm around Ruby's waist snugly, as if claiming 'his territory'. On the other end of the spectrum, Jordan had a nasty jealousy streak and didn't like that Ruby openly spoke to other guys. Her rebuttal was that he didn't own her and she was allowed to speak to whomever she wanted.

Earlier that day, Jordan and Ruby had their biggest fight yet - over the "l word". That first night when they expressed their feelings for one another, Jordan and Ruby had told one another that they loved each other. But, Ruby claimed that she hadn't meant it in the "I'm in love with you" sense but in the "I love you like a friend who I like more than a friend" sense which confused the hell out of Jordan. At the time, he had meant it in the "I'm in love with you" sense or whatever real sense there was.

Though, he had been angry and hurt by her refusal to say it again unless she meant it. "Well then I take back what I said about loving you," he had screamed back at her, storming up the stairs to his bedroom.

She had been extremely irritable all day and he had a pretty good idea of why. Tomorrow was their sixth month anniversary, but neither of them had bought it up. She probably thought he had forgotten about it, but he hadn't. He had been planning the ultimate surprise for her and he hadn't wanted to mention the anniversary at all. 'Good,' he thought to himself. He would let her believe that he had forgotten and then he would come out and surprise her and put her in her place.

That night, Jordan didn't get much sleep. It seemed that whenever he and Ruby had a falling out or a fight, he couldn't sleep well. So, he wound up tweaking the song he had wrote for her after the Valentines Day dance. He had rewrote the song at least five times, changing every single lyric so that it was just right. He would play it for her. He had actually bribed his parents into letting him and Ruby have the house to themselves - at least until eleven o'clock, since his parents didn't want them to get too into it.

The next day - the day of their sixth month anniversary, Jordan hadn't seen Ruby all day and all afternoon. She was avoiding him like the plague and he didn't care - he had work to do anyway.

Come six o'clock, his mother dragged his defiant little brother out the door whose eyes were glued to his DS. "What if it dies? I need to be near my charger," he was shrieking, trying to convince his mother to let him stay home. Audie raised an eyebrow and shook her head. Her youngest son was lost to the video games - an addict, if you must.

Patrick had clamped his hand down on his son's shoulder and offered him a smile. "Go get her, tiger." To which Audie shot him a look. "Not in the sense of actually go get her and have sex with her, but just have fun. And not too much fun," she said, not being able to say the right thing, in fear of giving him the wrong idea.

Jordan rolled his eyes. "We already had sex mom," he said teasingly, watching his mother's face twist with horror. With that, he slammed the door shut behind his parents and locked it, trying not to laugh hysterically as his father had to practically drag Audie to the car. "He's joking, honey, he's joking," Jordan heard his father trying to reassure his mother.

He rubbed his hands together and looked around the living room. Everything was ready and perfect as he nervously ran a hand through his hair. "Ruby," he called up to her shakily from the bottom of the stairs.

No answer.

"Ruby," he tried again gently.

No answer.

He narrowed his eyes and stomped up the stairs. There was no way she was going to ignore him while he had gone out and set this whole anniversary dinner up. "Ruby," he tried again, his voice louder as he banged on her door. He heard movement behind it and raised an eyebrow when he heard a sniffle. 'Oh god,' he groaned inwardly - she had been crying all day?

"Go away," she said in a muffled voice. This was not good.

"Rubes. Come on, open the door. Come downstairs. I want to show you something," he said, biting his lower lip as he tried to jiggle the handle and frowned when it was locked. "What about the no locking me out rule," he said in annoyance, completely forgetting that he was a hypocrite since the day before he had locked his door.

He heard some movement from behind the door and the door swung open. He had to grip the side of the wall to keep himself from falling at her feet since he had been leaning against the door. He saw that her eyes were red and puffy and he groaned. "Jesus, Ruby, why have you been crying?"

She rolled her eyes at him and pushed past him, headed towards the stairs. "Just show me what you want to show me so I can go back to sleep," she said angrily, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited for him to lead the way.

He sighed with relief - at least she would be going downstairs. "Follow me," he said gently, trying not to make it sound like an order in fear that she would freak out and lock him out of the bedroom again. He bit his lip nervously, his stomach in twists and knots as he quickly descended the stairs and turned around to see her face.

Ruby angrily walked down the stairs, figuring that he wanted to show her that he had got a new top score in Rock band or something silly like that. Her eyes widened when she stopped in mid step. On the coffee table in front of the couch were two plates - a hot dog and a cheeseburger on each, though the cheeseburger looked a little sloppy and lop sided and the hotdog looked a little burnt. There were tater tots on the side too and those looked pretty edible. Rose petals were scattered across the table, around the plates.

"What is this," she said, glancing back at Jordan who was looking at her intently.

"Did you really think I forgot our sixth month anniversary," he said sheepishly, hoping that she would like the food. He had made it himself, as it was obvious. He wasn't the best cook and his mother had offered to help him make the food several times after he burned his hand twice and almost set the kitchen curtains on fire. Though, he blatantly refused her help since he didn't want to admit defeat. He was doing all this for Ruby. And he had.

She smiled sheepishly, suddenly feeling like an idiot for actually believing that he had forgotten their six month mark. "Jordan," she breathed out, noticing a rather large teddy bear seated beside the table that said 'I love you' in a heart that it was holding. Her eyes widened and she blinked in shock. He had taken those very words back the previous night.

"Now before you say anything," he said, noticing where her eyes were glued to. "I know that I took the words back last night but I shouldn't have. At the time, I said I love you meaning the whole I'm in love with you thing but I didn't know what it meant then. Now I can honestly say I'm in love with you. I was falling in love with you when we first kissed but now I'm hooked, Rubes. You've got my heart and I love you," he said, rambling, which was a habit of his whenever he was extremely antsy or nervous.

Ruby tried not to laugh as he jumbled out all the words in one breath. "You're nervous," she observed, still about three steps higher than him.

Jordan frowned. "Well yeah - I just told you I loved you. And I did all this," he said, looking back at the living room, wondering if she liked it. "I was hoping you would like it," he said sadly, with a deep sigh. All those weeks of planning for nothing. She didn't like it.

Ruby's eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously, quickly closing the gap between them. She launched herself in his arms and Jordan stumbled back unexpectedly since he hadn't been expecting that. Once he was over the shock, he quickly wrapped his arms around her and smiled, burying his face in her hair. He hoped that meant that their fight was over with. "I love it and I love you," she managed to get out before attacking his lips with her own.

Jordan would have jumped for joy, if he hadn't had his arms wrapped around Ruby in the first place. "You have no idea how long I wanted to hear you say it and actually mean it," he said teasingly, before setting her back down on the floor. Grabbing her hand, he led her over to the couch and blushed as she smiled lightly at a closer look of his work.

"I know it's not a gourmet meal but I tried and this was the best that came out and -" he was cut off by her kissing him lightly since she knew that if she didn't shut him up, he would ramble all night long. He snapped his mouth shut when she claimed everything was perfect and ate a tater tot. At least it wasn't as burnt as the hot dog, she figured.

The rest of the evening was rather uneventful compared to the beginning of it. Jordan didn't notice that Ruby didn't eat her burnt hot dog and barely touched her cheeseburger since she was purposely distracting him by kissing him every time he looked over at her plate. Oblivious Jordan didn't catch on until later that evening after his parents came home and found the couple cuddling on the couch with Ruby asleep in Jordan's lap and Jordan's arms wrapped around her tightly. After Patrick asked him out it went, he realized what Ruby had been doing - distracting him the entire night!

His mother asked him how the song went and shook his head, a small smile on his face. "I don't think she's ready to hear it yet and I'm not ready to play it yet. But she'll hear it soon." His mother nodded, acting as if she understood, but she had no idea what he was going on about since she was unaware of the song's lyrics and it's meaning to him. He would share it one day with Ruby. That day was just not today. Though, one day soon - very, very soon. For now, he was content with his sixth month anniversary mark. Maybe at the eighth month mark he would share it with her.


End file.
